


Some Things Change

by Ailette



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Imported, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-28
Updated: 2010-06-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:51:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6703516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailette/pseuds/Ailette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was ironic, he would think later, that it was Nino crying and Toma comforting him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Things Change

Toma hadn’t really been paying all that much attention to his surroundings as he sauntered through the hallway towards the guest section of the Tokyo Dome. The normal fans didn’t use this hallway (which explained why it was rather on the small side) so there was no need for him to try and disguise himself. This was a NEWS concert anyway. It wasn’t like they were here to see _him_. He would have paid more attention, however, had he known who else was wandering behind him, quiet footsteps getting quicker and quicker as they approached.    


Suddenly, _someone groped his butt_. Not even a quick one-handed touch that old men in the subway would apologize for with a sleazy grin afterwards, but a full-on, two-handed grab for it. Toma yelped, jumped forward and whirled around,hands pressed firmly to his behind in order to protect it from any further molestation.   


On hindsight, he really should have known. Now in front of him stood a man, smaller than him in seemingly ill-fitting clothes and a cap pulled down so low it covered his face. It was the mole on his chin and the smug smirk that gave his identity away before he could say anything.   


“Your fault for wearing tight jeans like that,” Nino chirped and adjusted his cap so Toma could actually see his glinting eyes.   


Toma laughed and playfully swatted his arm. “Can’t you greet people normally?”   


“But I do!” Nino said, all big eyed innocence and wide fake smile. Toma only shook his head before he enveloped Nino in a quick, one-armed hug to make the greeting at least halfway legitimate. He left his arm lying comfortably around Nino’s shoulders as they slowly continued their walk to the loud buzzing hall before them.   


“Are you on your own?” Toma asked and threw a needless glance around, just to make sure he hadn’t overlooked anyone. Nino had the habit of demanding everyone’s attention solely on him at times.   


Nino only shrugged. “Sho wanted to come with, but he had some drama filming rescheduled at the last minute and had to cancel on me.”   


“Ah, lucky I found you then.” Toma inclined his head. “Or rather, lucky your hands found my butt.”   


“You do keep going on and on about it,” Nino scoffed. “I just had to see what all the self-praising was about. And if it was justified.”   


“And? Is it?”   


Nino let his head sway left and right, like he was in deep thought. He hummed slightly before speaking again. “You can probably keep up with Oh-chan.”   


“That’s high praise indeed,” Toma laughed and squeezed Nino’s shoulder one last time before he had to let go so they could sit down. The hall wasn’t completely full yet at this point, they still had some time before the stage would be lit up and the spectacle would start. He suddenly frowned. “Wait, what do you mean go on and on about it? I’m not talking about my butt all the time.”   


Nino snorted. “Yes, you are. Every time I watch one of your interviews, you somehow manage to sneak a mention of your fabulous behind in there somewhere.”   


Toma opened his mouth to protest, but the older man hadn’t finished yet.   


“And then there was that party where you first insisted to try and play strip poker with my magic cards and then, when I wouldn’t let you, you just started stripping anyway. I distinctly remember MatsuJun yelling at you to ‘Keep those boxers on, or you will regret it sooner than you think.’”    


Damn it. He had forgotten that Nino had been there on that evening (which was not all that easy to do considering the man had teamed up with Yoko and Subaru from Kanjani8 later that night to scrawl obscenities on Toma’s face with a ball-pen). “…I was drunk!”   


Nino grinned, clearly marking this topic as a victory in his book. Toma decided to sulk for a bit and was rather glad that the lights started dimming that moment, as if on cue. It wasn’t like he could actually ignore Nino for any given period of time if he didn’t have something else to distract him with. A concert filled with thousands of screaming fans seemed to fit the bill nicely.   


Still, even after NEWS had started in on their first song, he found his eyes quickly darting to the older man beside him in the darkness. The guest lounge was empty except for them today; it was like they had their own private space to enjoy the concert. Just the two of them. Toma mentally shook his head; it should be weird to enjoy a NEWS concert with Nino, of all people.   


It wasn’t that Nino disliked NEWS (far from it). But Toma couldn’t help but remember that press conference, years ago, when NEWS had their debut announced. He remembered standing in the far back of a room crowded with photographers, remembered nine smiling faces only a few steps away from him and all he could think was that they looked so unreachable now.    


His chance had passed again, more friends leaving him behind on his own and condemned to be unable to do anything but watch them in the spotlight. He felt so numb; no sadness or anger, just a bitter feeling of resignation. Maybe he just wasn’t cut out for this and the boss had seen it. Had seen it when he looked at Toma and had already judged him unfit years ago when he’d decided to let a storm conquer the world without him. Maybe he was just waiting for Toma to finally quit and give up now, waiting for him to read the signs.    


When it had been Arashi, Toma had been in tears. He had felt so lonely back then, like he was losing the only friends he’d ever cared about (even though it wasn’t the case). With his eyes red, he had congratulated them the next time he’d seen them (because there was no longer any reason for them to be together – they were no longer a group). He didn’t want to let them see how hurt he was that they were now moving on without him; that they no longer needed him.   


It was different with NEWS. He just couldn’t bring himself to feel enough. Mentally shrugging and continuing to watch with lifeless eyes as his other best friend was posing for the cameras, a quick movement suddenly caught his attention from the corner of his eyes. He knew that boy (even though he was a man by now; they both were) storming out of the room and before he could stop himself his own feet started moving, following Nino outside to the corridor leading to the dressing rooms.   


He found his friend leaning with his back against the wall, eyes pressed shut as he absently pounded his fist into the concrete behind him. He looked so small, Toma thought. It was hard to even remember the times when he still had to look up to Nino, the older boy easily towering over him in dance practice, always using his height to an unfair advantage when they were playing outside. When had he grown taller than Nino?   


“What’s wrong?” he asked and almost started at the rough sound of his own voice. Nino jerked upright, only to sag together again when he saw that it was Toma.   


“It’s not fair,” Nino whispered and Toma had to come and stand directly in front of him to even hear the words. “Them. First us and now them – it’s not – you – I don’t-”   


A sob escaped Nino’s lips and Toma noticed how he had begun shaking while he was speaking. He reached out to steady him, but Nino only started shaking harder; his eyes suddenly opening to stare up at Toma and he was shocked to see them bright, shining with unshed tears and so full of desperation. Desperation he himself couldn’t feel anymore.   


“You should be up there,” Nino finally gritted out between heart breaking sobs and sniffles, the first tears finally leaving his eyes to freely roll down his cheeks. “It’s not – not fair!”   


And Toma felt like his own heart was cracking while he was looking at his friend; no emotions were betrayed on his own face still, but he could finally _feel_ again. He enveloped the smaller form in a bone-crushing hug, gracelessly sliding to the floor with Nino in his arms.    


“It’s alright,” he said, and closed his eyes with the insane amount of _relief_ he felt. Nino cared. Nino cared so much he was crying his eyes out as his fingers fisted themselves into the fabric of Toma’s shirt; the shirt he felt getting wet at his shoulder.   


It was ironic, he would think later, that it was Nino crying and Toma comforting him when it should have been the other way around. But Nino did what he couldn’t, back then, and was the first of many to give him the strength to go on. Go on and find his own path, with or without a group; but always with his friends.   


“Are you alright?”   


Nino’s concerned voice brought him back to the present, to the sound of music loudly echoing through the hall and a life he was satisfied with; even proud of. He turned around to acquiesce, but when he did he saw the intense and sharp light brown eyes boring into him, not paying attention to anything else. And Toma realized that Nino wasn’t just asking because he’d probably dazed off for a few moments in remembrance, but because Nino also remembered that press conference.   


It made Toma smile. Smile, and lean forward, in the middle of a crowded Dome. He vaguely hoped that none of the cameras would pan over to them right that moment, because he didn’t want to have to apologize to Tokyo Dome _again_. But the only thing he could really concentrate on was the feeling of Nino’s soft lips when he pressed his own against them, not quick or hurried like he maybe should have, given the situation, but soft and slow and languid and waiting for the older man to carefully respond.   


His smile only widened when he looked at the now slightly flustered man next to him and he kissed him again on the cheek for good measure.    


“Never been better.”

Later that evening, when they were called onto the stage during the MC, he didn’t mind that everyone could see their linked hands as they walked up.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: eufry ♥♥♥  
> A/N: Yes, yes, yes. I know. I'm kind of spamming you guys with fic atm. Bear with me. xD Anyway. It's Ikumiya again and this time based on some of the rumours surrounding the NEWS press conference.  
> A/N2: Kind of unrelated to the fic, but I finally got my copy of Suppin' Arashi last week and watched it on Friday. While watching, I kept noticing a Junior in the background who I kept wondering about. He looked like Toma. But of course the focus was never on him long enough to be sure. That same junior was then sought out by Nino to make out sing with him, later on Aiba tackled him and then - when I was just about ready to start watching frame by frame - MatsuJun dragged him towards the camera. Thank you, Jun! It really was Toma! ♥ It just made me really happy to see them like that. :)  
> (Originally posted at http://ailette.livejournal.com/54539.html)


End file.
